Truro BID

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COVID-19 - Truro BID recognise this is a challenging time for businesses and we want to support you how we can. 

Cornwall Council have announced details of the Local Restrictions Support Grant Scheme for the second national Lockdown. 

See our Coronavirus page for other current business information about the second national lockdown, along with details of other Truro BID activities to support businesses during the first lockdown.

Since the second national Lockdown we've been working with our partners at Visit Truro to support businesses still able to trade. Visit Truro are promoting the following webpages on Facebook @visittruro:
We've been celebrating Truro via our Virtual Christmas Lights Switch-on film, streamed on Pirate FM's Facebook page on 18th November. There's also a version available on YouTube.

During the reopening phase (June to November) from the first national lockdown to support businesses and the wider economic recovery of the city we've done the following...

Operations

  • Been working with Visit Truro and Truro City Council on the initial Truro reopening plan and implemented the detailed reopening plan on temporary pedestrianisation in parts of the city which aims to give customers reassurance to return to the high street. 
  • Along with Truro City Council placed 91 social distancing signs across the city centre including: 'Welcome Back to Truro' and 'Please Keep a Safe Distance Apart' and 'Please Keep Left Sign' for June.
  • Along with Truro City Council, placed additional signage to support both customers and businesses directing people to public toilets and independent shops in July.

Business support

  • Been directing businesses to the relevant Government Guidance for their sector.
  • Been directing businesses to free webinars to help businesses operate safely during COVID-19 organised by Cornwall Council's Business Regulatory Support service.
  • Been actively helping businesses to co-ordinate potential queues by spraying social distancing markers on the pavement at over 40 premises. 
  • Signposted businesses to downloadable social distancing posters for shops windows or instore: We are open, Wash your hands, Pay by contactless and Signs to help manage queues. 
  • Been asking businesses about how trading has been going.
  • Along with the Mayor of Truro, requested free parking or a free parking window from Cornwall Council.
  • Initiated and delivered a Truro Traders meeting in July to engage with more businesses about various matters in the city centre.
  • Continued to attend Pydar Street Regeneration stakeholder meetings.
  • Continued to represent the interests of the business community via the Truro Town's Deal.
  • Signposted businesses to 'please wear a face covering' shop window posters that we developed with Visit Truro see: poster one, poster two and poster three and which can be downloaded and printed off. 
  • Supported businesses signed up to the Eat Out To Help Out Scheme by working with Visit Truro and adapting the Truro Super Saver Monday scheme to @TruroSupersavers during August.

Marketing

We work with Visit Truro to help promote Truro's businesses to residents and visitors. This includes Visit Truro's webpage set up during the reopening phase (June to November) to promote businesses reopening: 

We also promoted Truro from a business perspective and other BID activities during June to November:

  • Achieved good media coverage for Truro via four BBC Radio interviews, on BBC Spotlight, Cornwall Live and in the Truro Voice about Truro’s reopening, changes to road closure times, trading, the Eat Out to Help Out scheme and Christmas Lights.
  • Worked with Visit Truro to promote retailers reopening, hospitality businesses reopening and those signed up to Eat out to Help out. 
  • Used our public facing social media sites to promote businesses reopening and Eat Out to Help Out - (previously @trurosupersavermonday) Truro Super Saver Monday, and Truro Trend.
  • Used our advertising space at Three Spires Medical Centre and on the Park and Ride to communicate that Truro has reopened. 
  • Highlighted some businesses changes (opening/expanding) leading to positive media coverage for some of Truro businesses, including on Cornwall Live and in the Truro Voice.
  • Provided a strong media statement in response to an article on Cornwall Live on empty shops which resulted in a more positive story.
  • Launched our 'Space to Shop' campaign as well as plans for marketing Christmas 'Our Great Little Festive City'. Now extended into December due to the national second lockdown.

Environment

  • Continuing to take part in bi-monthly Truro Safe virtual meetings to represent the Shopwatch Group.
  • Have reinstated Shopwatch meetings (online).
  • Actively requested additional police cover on behalf of the Shopwatch Group to tackle anti-social behaviour resulting in Inspector Rick Milburn achieving significant extra police cover for the town centre.
  • Met with Alison Hernandez, Police and Crime Commissioner and Cherilyn Mackrory MP to see how Truro had support from the Summer Safe Scheme to provide street marshals and extra CCTV coverage. 
  • Supplied bunting to brighten up Lemon Street market.
  • Arranged for re-fixing of city centre bunting which was installed by Truro BID in March as planned.
  • Wrapped two empty premises in St Nicholas Street with colour vinyl stickers which direct people to www.visittruro.org.uk. Arranged for the repair and repaint of one of these properties prior to wrapping.
  • Have been requesting and supporting the repair of some other empty premises in the city centre.
  • Arranged and funded the removal of seagull poo on a number of empty premises.
  • Emptied the gum drop bins that Truro BID installed last year so that the gum could be recycled.

Events

(Which reflect the current COVID-19 situation)

  • Delivering and funding the Truro City Centre Christmas Lights Scheme (along with the donations from Lionel and Carol Knight).
  • Arranging five late night shopping Wednesdays from 25 November where Truro BID will be focusing on entertainment and the roads will be pedestrianised to give people space to shop, eat and drink.  
  • Providing street entertainment on Saturdays from Saturday 28 November.
  • Sponsoring Coppice Theatre to be able to perform 30 performance of Jack's Frosty Stories - a family theatre experience in Truro City Centre (which we delivered for the first time in 2019).

Our current objective is to support businesses how we can during the second lockdown and once restrictions are lifted provide the best experience for customers so they feel reassured about coming into Truro. If you're a Truro Businesses and would like some contact us email: alun.jones@trurobid.co.uk.

 

Truro BID works with Visit Truro and aims to position Truro as a leading destination for tourism, business, and local people through creating a vibrant, well connected, well marketed and well-presented great little city.

Having successfully renewed for a third term with the strongest mandate to date, the Truro BID team are delivering projects within 4 key project themes; Events, Environment, Marketing and Business.

A flavour of the projects delivered by Truro BID during the past 10 years include:

  • the annual city centre Christmas lighting scheme with a supporting 6 week programme of festive events.
  • annual marketing campaigns highlighting the cities retail and tourism offer.
  • the City centre signage and wayfinding system.
  • financial contributions to Truro City Council leading to award winning summer floral displays.

There is still a lot more to come for the remaining third term, click on a project below to find out more

Events - Celebrating our City
Environment - The City's Streets
Marketing - Our Great Little City
Business - Supporting the City